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I have worked in or around news organizations for about a decade. A few years ago, during a major flood event, we tried out drones, specifically a pair of Parro
by zecho 14y ago
I have worked in or around news organizations for about a decade. A few years ago, during a major flood event, we tried out drones, specifically a pair of Parrot ARs.
These were great for use in a large stadium, where could get a bird's eye view of the sandbagging operation (though, we could also get the perspective on the catwalks), but for footage of the flooding river? The wind was a factor. Rarely could we keep them off the ground without risking losing them, so we ended up renting planes for most of our aerial footage anyway.
The real issue we've found is their use is extremely limited. Most of the time, news doesn't lend itself to a bird's perspective. When it does, such as during a marathon, a borrowed/rented cherry picker gives you a similar angle without the risk of dropping a $1000 piece of equipment on someone's head.
- mrtron 14y agoDrones will take off when they are 2-way and swoop in - not just show bird's eye views.
- BergBuilding 14y agoThey'll take-off as soon as one gets slipped into a Bilderberg convention. :-)
- RobertHoudin 14y agoYou were using a Parrot AR, which is regarded by serious drone enthusiasts and aerial photographers as nothing more than a toy. Obviously, wind would be a factor - that's why we use heavy octocopters for aerial photography and videography. If you would like to know more about the current state of this technology, please ask. I'm about to publish a book on the subject.
- NiekvdMaas 14y agoThe DJI Phantom drone mentioned in the article has a GPS chip that allows the drone to stay in a stable/fixed position in windy conditions. I bought a Phantom myself and in combination with a GoPro camera it's a perfect way to shoot aerial footage (photo or HD video). A quick picture I shot last week: http://imgur.com/aMnRzuA http://imgur.com/aMnRzuA
- DroneJournalism 14y agoWhile the Parrot AR.Drone has an attractive price point and control app, it's very limited in terms of power and camera maneuverability. Limitations in individual unmanned systems will inherently limit functionality in news coverage. More advanced technology will widen the number of viable applications. Unmanned aerial systems have plenty of applications from sports coverage, post-disaster assessment, spot news, environmental reporting. I think the real power of these systems will be become apparent when they can provide geospatial data. That data can help resolve questions that hearsay can't. - Matthew Schroyer, DroneJournalism.org